CHRISTIANSTED — A mother-son combination used a fake lease in order to get the mother’s electricity turned back on due to nonpayment were arrested on Monday.
Renee Coates, 45, and Jahmoy Martinez, 25, of Estate St. John, were arrested and charged with forgery, filing or recording forged instruments, and fraudulent claims upon the government, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began on March 4, 2024, when the Economic Crimes Unit began investigating a forgery complaint about an incident that took place on November 2, 2023, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Renee Coates, 45, of Estate St. John in St. Croix.
“The investigation revealed that Renee Coates and Jahmoy Martinez acted in concert to present a forged lease to the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA), to gain electricity in Martinez’s name, knowing that Coates, who is Martinez’s mother was unable to do so due to her account being terminated for overdue fees at WAPA,” VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said.
Renee Coates and Jahmoy Martinez were advised Monday of the pending arrest warrants against them, according to Dratte.
Coates and Martinez surrendered to detectives at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station the same day, police said.
VIPD mug shot of Jahmoy Martinez, 25, of Estate St. John in St. Croix.
They were taken into official custody, advised of their Miranda Rights, booked and processed. They declined to sign a document stating that they had been advised of their rights and invoked their Fifth Amendment Right against self-incrimination, according to police.
Bail for Coates and Martinez was set at $5,500.00 each. Unable to post bail, they were remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the Golden Grove prison.
The two suspects are scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court today.